St Mary the Blessed Virgin Parish Magazine May 2026

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• May 2026St Mary's Parish Magazine No. 1376
• Who's Who at St Mary'sVicar Assistant Priest
• Page 3From the Curate's desk.. From the Editor's Desk Vacancy Prayer....
• From the Curate's DeskThis month we celebrate 2 church festivals: Ascension and Pentecost, also known as 'Whit Sunday'. Ascension occurs 40 days after Easter and marks Jesus' return to his Father in heaven. Before he left his disciples, he instructed them, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:4-5). He had indeed talked about the Holy Spirit at the Last Supper. He described the Spirit as a Counsellor and a Comforter, who would guide them into truth, remind them of his teaching and be God's presence within them. After Jesus' ascension, the disciples including the women and Jesus' mother and brothers gathered in the Upper Room to watch, wait and pray. For how long? For how long? – they did not know.
• Page 5We are looking to produce a Parish Interregnum Prayer so that we can pray this at every service and opportunity each day. Without Prayer, nothing is accomplished. Pray my dear brother and sisters so that we may in good time have the right priest and minister appointed for our family at St Mary's.
• From the Editor's DeskCORONA 4444
• Page 7Let us Pray! Vacancy Prayer
• From The Parish Registers8th May 29th May
• Prayer ListIn the absence of the weekly “Pews news”, a prayer list has been created and you are kindly asked to hold the following in your Thoughts and Prayers. We especially pray for ;-
• Daily Bible Readings and Prayers May 2026Silence and stillness, times for reflection and meditation, and a moment within each day to offer our prayers and concerns to God for ourselves, our community and our world are vital if we are to sustain our busy and active lives. Try to find space at the same time each day to be with God by yourself, just for five or ten minutes. You might like to follow this simple PRAYERS
• Sunday 17 May - The Sunday after Ascension DayO God the King of Glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; We beseech thee, leave us not comfortless; but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Sunday 24 May - Pentecost
• Mon 4 Psalm 145 (or)Tues 5 Psalms 19, 147.1-12 (or) 73 Wed 6 Psalms 30, 147.13-end (or) 77 Thu 7 Psalms 57, 148 (or) 78.1-39* Fri 8
• Tues 19Thu 21 Fri 22 Sat 23 Psalms 98-100 or 106* or 103 Luke 8.1-15
• Lunch Club Report given at 2026 APCMSt. Mary's Lunch Club is working well although numbers are down slightly to between 25 and 30 each month. The atmosphere is pleasant and our members are complementary of the food provided. As last year we provide a two course meal (including veggie option) and tea and coffee at £5 per person (including helpers) on the second Friday of each month except August. As is the custom, Christmas dinner in December is not charged for and members give as generously as they wish to the charity ‘Nightwatch' in Croydon. This special event will continue each Christmas while we are open. We are also able to give surplus money to local charities each year.
• PROFESSIONALS IN HOME PAINTINGOUR PORTFOLIO O @GOULDDFLTD
• Page 16Climate change has not gone away! With the continuing rise in the cost of living, some ‘green' switches like getting solar panels or a heat pump or an electric car - are out of reach for most people. However, there are other ways to live a lower carbon lifestyle.
• Page 17Second hand as first choice. Buying secondhand goods is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to start shopping sustainably. There are many websites and apps to make it easy to find what you're looking for and, of course, you can support your local Charity shop. Turn down your thermostat. Warmer weather during the day can sometimes bring chilly evenings. Households with a gas boiler can cut their emissions and fuel bill by tweaking the thermostat. The Climate Change Committee recommends thermostats are set at 19 degrees or below.
• Page 18A group of twelve of us from the Churches Together in Selsdon and Addington met on the 11th April at Victoria train station for a London walk. This was a change for us as normally we are off climbing over stiles and visiting country pubs. However, we had had such a wet winter that all the walks we tried were ankle deep in mud. So, we met at Victoria train station and made our way to the river crossing over Vauxhall Bridge towards the MI6 building or 'Bond Place'. In front of the building is the Thames's newest island, the Isle of Effra. Not really an island more of a small promontory. But it gave us a good view of the 2 tonne bronze statues mounted on the bridge plinths. From here you have a lovely view of the Tate Britain, where we are members. The exhibitions here are quite incredible and we can highly commend a visit, we recently enjoyed the Turner and Constable exhibition 'Fire and Water'
• Page 19The National Covid remembrance wall on the wall of St Thomas's hospital. was a grave reminder of all those that lost their life during covid and was very moving. It became a bit more crowded as we walked by Westminster Bridge but were soon standing under the Millenium wheel. Apparently, it revolves at 26cm per second, the 32 pods represent the London Boroughs, and since it opened there have been 6,000 proposals of marriage!
• Page 20The Anchor pub, one the oldest in area having survived the Great Fire of London, was heaving, no time to stop for a quick one. Into Clink Street, an old gaol from medieval times, and where we get the saying 'in the clink'. Stopped at the remains of Winchester Palace and then to the replica of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hinde. We finished our walk in Southwark Cathedral with prayers. If you would like to join us on a CTSA walk, contact us
• Page 21PIGEON ENGLISH - or perhaps not! I was sitting in the garden one day soaking up the April sunshine and listening to the bird song, mostly from sparrows and blue tits. Then I heard two pigeons having a conversation, one in the tree at the end of the garden and the other somewhere westward. I imagined what they might be saying and decided they must be speaking Pigeon English!
• Edward's farewell quizzesTime was when you could scarcely enter the vicarage or its garden without being faced with some fiendish quiz! At our first Open House after Debbie's installation, I concocted a quiz with three or four clues each pointing to words linked to ADD, DING (including a then up-and- coming snooker star) or TON, and we were pleased that a family team (Toby and his Mum) were the first to spot the linking word: I always think quizzes where a child can help the grown-ups are the best. Since then, we've had garden quizzes matching flowers with their names, a picture quiz based on our SPAs (as they were then called) involving Heady, Holloway and Wilson, treasure hunts based on birds' nests and feathers, and one apparently based on the three wise men which I can't understand now I look back at the questions! Anyway, for no particular reason, I haven't concocted any recently, so here by way of a farewell offering are two (if Phil agrees to include both!). I hope you find them teasing and enjoyable, and are pleased to learn something new (my other three criteria for acceptability in quizzes).
• Page 23See how many languages you think you can identify just like that, then turn to p.35 where I will provide the thirteen languages involved to make it a bit more possible! Edward's farewell quizzes, part 2 (see explanation above, p.22)
• Page 24The Roads of the Parish of St Mary the Blessed Virgin, Addington by Dr Christopher J. Parker, Part 4 (S-Z) Selsdon Park Road is a street name that means "the road to or associated with Selsdon Park." "Selsdon", derived from Old English sæl (hall or dwelling) + dūn (hill), means "hall on the hill." The name preserves the memory of Selsdon as a historic settlement on Surrey's uplands. "Park" refers to Selsdon Park, a grand country estate dating back to the medieval period. The estate was later transformed into a mansion and, in the 20th century, into the well-known Selsdon Park Hotel. The street name, therefore, preserves both the manorial heritage of the estate, symbolising grandeur, rootedness, and connection.
• Page 25shimmering leaves catch the light. "Silver" conveys purity, brightness, and dignity, while "wood" anchors the name in natural heritage. It may also echo poetic traditions where silver woods symbolise enchantment, re- newal, and pastoral beauty. While "silver" likely refers to birch/willow, it may also have been chosen purely for poetic resonance in suburban planning. The street name, therefore, preserves both the natural heritage of birch and willow groves and the communal intimacy of a close, symbolising brightness, rootedness, and fellowship. Sorrel Bank is a street name that means "the slope or ridge of sorrel." It preserves both the botanical heritage of herbs and the topographical memory of ridges, symbolising freshness, rootedness, and continuity with the landscape. "Sorrel" refers to the herb sorrel (Rumex acetosa), a leafy plant with a sharp, lemony taste, long cultivated in English gardens and fields. Sorrel was valued both as a culinary herb and for its medicinal properties, symbolising freshness, vitality, and rustic simplicity. "Bank" in place-names refers to a slope, ridge, or raised ground. It can also suggest a reserve or store, metaphorically a "bank” of herbs or natural wealth. In suburban naming, "Bank" conveys dignity, solidity, and rootedness.
• Page 26Templar Court, Pixton Way (Forestdale area), is primarily known for its purpose-built, often one-bedroom leasehold flats, popular with first-time buyers, downsizers, and investors. The name means "the enclosed dwellings commemorating the Knights Templar." The Knights Templar, the medieval military and religious order founded in the 12th century were associated with chivalry, guardianship, and sacred duty, often linked to landholdings across England. Two carucates of land in Addington were given by Walter de Merton (c. 1205 – 27 October 1277) and his wife in 1241 to the Knights Templar. It's sometimes referred to as the 'Manor of Addington Temple'. In 1311 the Knights Templar was dissolved and thirteen years later the 'Addington Temple' Manor, with others, was reassigned by Parliament to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, in whose tenure the manor remained until the Dissolution. In place-names, “Templar” evokes heritage, honour, and continuity with medieval tradition. Templar Court preserves both the medieval heritage of guardianship and the communal intimacy of a court, symbolising honour, rootedness, and fellowship. Woodpecker Mount is a street name that means "the hill recalling the woodpecker." It preserves both the natural heritage of birdlife and the topographical memory of slopes, symbolising persistence, vitality, and dignity, a feature of a number of other roads in the same area, such as Peacock Gardens, Osprey Gardens, Herondale, Goldfinch Road and Wren Close.
• Page 27carriage wheels, and was a friend of Benjamin Franklin and whose business was visited by Thomas Jefferson. A memorial stone at Croydon Minster once commemorated Viney and his wife. The dual interpretation (botanical vs. commemorative of John Viney) is intriguing - both are valid, but the developer's intent is uncertain. So, the street name either preserves both the botanical heritage of growth and festivity and the topographical memory of ridges, or records a tale of invention and commerce. Wayside is a street name that means “the dwellings beside the way." "Way" comes from the Old English weg, meaning road, path, or journey. "Side" refers to the edge or margin of the way. In naming, "wayside" denotes dwellings or features situated beside a road, often inns, chapels, or cottages. Wayside, therefore, preserves both the heritage of roadside cottages and the symbolic imagery of journey and rest, embodying hospitality, rootedness, and continuity with the landscape.
• A FAREWELL ANTHOLOGY FROM THE VISITORS' BOOKI am delighted to learn that enough people have rallied round to help ensure that church will continue to remain open for a fair proportion of daylight hours. That has been a relatively easy bit of ministry for a vicar with a retired husband, resident less than three minutes away from the church! The cost to the community in time and effort will go up during the vacancy, but the swiftest glance at the visitors' book in the church porch makes it clear just how precious a gift an open and welcoming church can be. Here is a selection of typical recent messages of gratitude. I've made them anonymous, but can confirm that where a specific grave or memorial is referenced, I have identified those and made sure that they are still reasonably neat after the recent strimming! Don't forget that if you want to identify a particular grave with a memorial, you should be able to find it via the indexed register, transcriptions and maps in a blue folder in the porch.
• Page 29"Thank you for keeping all so tidy (this visit was in November) and caring for my grandparents' gravestone. Paid my respects after many years, also to four war graves." "A gem to illuminate our walk on a misty day."
• Hilary's ReadingGroup FORMERLY ST MARY'S READING GROUP
• Page 31HOME REMEDIES
• MOTHERSUNION families Christian care for St Mary's Mothers' Union
• Page 33Wednesday 30th September 8pm - Lyndsay talks about Shops in Croydon Thursday 8th October 2pm - Fairtrade - Pass the Parcel
• Page 34On Wednesday 25th March 2026 the Mothers' Union held its AGM. In an attempt to attract more members, we invited Reverend Debbie and Edward to share their memories of St Mary's. It worked, and 17 members came along! At the AGM we read the minutes of our last AGM and recalled all the activities that we had enjoyed in 2025. This was the last time that Debbie was to chair our meeting, due to her retirement in April. Lindsay has kindly offered to chair our AGMs in the future.
• Page 35See p.18 for the quiz question about the opening words of the Lord's Prayer: the thirteen languages represented are Arabic, Chinese, French, Greek, Hindi, Igbo, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili and Swedish. Can you now match each set of squiggles with the right language? Turn to page 43 for the answers.
• Welcome Space Report given at 2026 APCMWelcome Space was started by Revd Mo in the winter of 2022 when heating costs were very high and we hoped to offer a warm space, cake, friendship and lunch to anyone in our community. It has proved to be very popular with people in the parish and beyond and continues each Tuesday with anything up to 30 people attending. We open at Ilam and offer hot drinks and cake, usually made Each week by Jo Quigley and often also by Iris Fairbairn. There are lots of conversations and usually a scrabble game and games of solitaire and we serve a hot lunch at 1pm, catering for vegetarians or intolerances. After lunch there is an opportunity to join in the singing led by Janet Davies from 3pm. Visitors give a donation for their food which helps to cover our expenses.
• Singing4Every I Report given at 2026 APCMAs most of you will know, a group of people meets in our church hall every Tuesday at 3pm, after the end of the Welcome Space. We sing selections from our home-produced booklet of songs which now numbers 108- and we also have an extra booklet of Beatles numbers. Around Christmas we sing some carols, and some Merry Christmas Songs. At 4pm we have a cup of tea and biscuit prepared by volunteers from the group. Anyone is welcome; some people come occasionally, and others come practically every week. Some are really good singers, and a few have very little singing voice left but like coming to be with the others. It's definitely not a choir: we don't give concerts, but just have a relaxed singsong! A lot of folk have made friends with each other and have swappedphone numbers and personal stories.
• Page 38Purists, Populists, and the Rise of Anna Lapwood: Rethinking the Organ World's Old Debate by Dr. Christopher J. Parker a Over the last few years, a young musician has come to the fore that has reopened a familiar tension within the organ world tension as old as the instrument's own history. That musician is an organist and choir director called Anna Lapwood. She has taken the organ world 'by storm' through social media, especially performances of music from the film Interstellar. Lapwood was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to music at the tender age of 29. This, in itself, was regarded by some as controversial. Many fine musicians, such as the late Martin. How, didn't receive his MBE for a lifetime of service to music until he was 61, and the late Martin Neary wasn't appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order until he was 57.This year Anna Lapwood became a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music (FRSCM).
• Page 39shaped by centuries of sacred use. Their repertoire, acoustics, and cultural expectations naturally lean toward the solemn and liturgical. Concert-hall organs have historically offered lighter fare, and theatre and ballroom organs were built explicitly to entertain. The instrument has always lived in more than one world. What has changed dramatically is the way musicians build audiences. Social media has transformed visibility, allowing performers to reach millions who would never attend a traditional recital. A single viral clip can do more for public awareness of the organ than a decade of carefully curated programmes. This shift has unsettled some and energised others, but it cannot be ignored.
• Page 40musicians remains telling – work hard, learn good technique, and above all, play with heart because without soul, the music will not touch people. The same tension appears in other fields: Elton John, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, abandoned the classical path entirely; Richard Clayderman, a Conservatoire de Paris graduate, built a career in the classical-pop crossover genre, adored and derided in equal measure. We have been here before. The argument is not new. What is new is the cultural environment in which it unfolds. The organ world now finds itself at a crossroads where its survival may depend on embracing both tradition and innovation - honouring the canon while welcoming new audiences, new repertoire, and new ways of being seen and heard. Whatever direction Anna Lapwood chooses, she has already done something valuable: she has brought the organ back into public conversation. She has made people curious. She has made them listen. And for an instrument too often confined to its own echo chamber, that is no small achievement. I wish her well in whatever path she follows.
• Page 41May May! Queen of blossoms, And fulfilling flowers, With what pretty music Shall we charm the hours? Wilt thou have pipe and reed, Blown in the open mead?
• Page 42We will guide you every step of the way, offering you support, care and reassurance at a time when you need it most... • Chapels of Rest for all Religious Denominations • Specialists in Worldwide Repatriation Services All Memorial & Stone Work Carried Out
• Page 43Here are the answer's to Edward's quiz on the languages in which congregations at Southwark Cathedral are encouraged to say the Lord's Prayer | Baba wa..
• ADDINGTONBISHOPS WALK ROYAL